Gad
Gad was the seventh son.
His mother was Zilpah, maidservant of Leah.
He was the full-brother of Asher.
we identify the stone of Gad as the “Shebo” or “Savo” in Hebrew. This is tranlsated as “Agate”. We believe this is the stone of Gad since the Midrash Rabah does. The Midrash Rabah is the source we are following even though Major Commentators (Rabbenayu BeChai, etc) relied on a different system.

The Midrash Rabah gives the colors of the Standard of each tribe and we have assumed throughout that the precious stone of the Tribe used in the Breastplate was of the same color. The standard of Gad is described as “neither black nor white but mixed black and white”. Agate Stones come in all colors but the most impressive seem to be those with offwhite colors intermixed with shades of grey veeering on black which fits the above decription.

Gad has a name connoting “camp” “group”, “company”, “union”, “chop”, “cut”, “kid-goat” or “lamb”.
Gad is described as a warrior, one blow of whose weapon could chop off the arm and shoulder of an adversary.
Gad is strong and vigorous. Gad went together with Reuben and half-Manasseh to take the region east of the Jordan. Gad took a predominant role even though by birth he was only the son of a hand-maiden. Gad asserts himself. He is capable. He has a pioneeer initiating aspect. He is adventurous, enterprising, and concerned with material wealth sometimes at the expense of family considerations. Gad belongs to a group. Peer pressure is important to him. When you deal with someone from Gad chances are you will be impressed with their friendliness, with their letting you into their circle. The problem is that it will require an OK from the circle. Gad checks back with the group and prefers not to finally commit himself/herself unless the “group” also does. It is not only how Gad himself sees you. It can also be how Gad thinks the group will see you and how the both of you will fit in with the group.
Gad is open to others but prefers unions with his own kind as does everybody but with Gad it is even more so. Families from Gad have a tendency to split up yet retain contact over distance and time. Not everyone succeeds in this but those who can do it are to be congratulated. Family is important and valuable. Gad is also a “chopper”, a “cutter-off”. Gad knows how to chopp somebody off, to let them go. Gad is frisky and alive. Look at his stone. It contains the simplest and dullest of all colors yet it is attractive and dynamic. Gad can put life into the mundane. There is an aspect of innocence and eternal youth about Gad. We identified Gad primarily with Sweden but many from Gad also settled in Scandinavia (especially Finland) and elsewhere. The Goths were from Gad. The Goths at one stage were spread all over Europe. They settled in Southern France and Spain. Even though a good portion of the “Goths” who went to Spain were not really Goths any more by the time they got there, many were. There are Hispanics who may be descended from Gad and some of them have Gad-like characteristics.
The word “Gad” also means Luck. It was once associated with a “Lucky-Star”. It was also the name of a heathen idol. It came to mean “god” and our English word “god” is derived from the Hebrew “Gad”. In Hebrew the “a” sound in “Gad” was actually pronounced more like an “o”.
The name “Gad” could have been pronounced like “Goth” since the “d” sound is unaccentuated and comes out like the English “th”.
The association with a god or some kind of exterior interposing power whether sacred or profane also reflects an aspect of Gad. He is inclined to let things go at certain stages, to turn everything over to the hands of the Almighty or of “Fate” or simply to pull back and see how events play themselves out.

The Banner of Gad

Created by Natatie Palik
Available from Mona Hyde
israelitribalflags@windstream.net